Kyoto, Rio, Copenhagen…. did not manage to create an effective international treaty on climate change mitigation – Paris, at Le Bourget site, from 30 November to 11 December 2015 might do just that.

And Mother Earth Day, on April 22, has been chosen every year, for the past 45 years, to remind us of that. This year

‘The power to change begins with you,’ says Ban, urging sustainable choices on Mother Earth Day

Image Source: http://www.un.org/

Today, people all over the globe are fighting, in their individual, small ways, for action from their leaders, asking them to recognize the catastrophic implications of climate change.

But alas! action really starts with us…. so perhaps, since most of earth’s population live in cities we should think about ways in which individuals should fight to keep cities green. Ask yourselves:

1. What has happened to all our local green areas….they are the lungs of the city! There are many ways in which you can help – look at all the abandoned and derelict areas in your city, find out who is responsible for them and suggest ways in which they can be greened…even if it starts by the place being cleaned up and some potted plants and a garden seat fixed in a corner…

2. Improving livelihoods and localities…. become a waste warrior! Kids can be great helping volunteers straighten up a place, making it inviting for people to come out of their flats and use the outdoors more. Being out means that you will be made to notice more your local environment and become aware of what is missing to make it worth sharing.

3. Put the forests back in town…. and water them from rooftop rainwater collection! Lots of city areas can be planted with trees, not only to provide shaded areas for people to walk under or cars to park, but it also helps to bring down air temperature which is usually higher in towns. Planting trees and creating green city areas will reduce CO2 levels in your neighbourhood.

4. Create a lake in the city….if you live in a place where it really rains, at least some part of the year! A lake is a great way to collect water and at the same time, it can bring together a community. Think of what could spring from that…bird watching, nature walks, community labour keeping it clean…and you could suggest to your local authorities that inviting photographers, ornithologists, horticulturists to come, help and advise them is easier than they think. People are always willing to help good causes.

6. Turn your rooftops green and start an urban food farm up there…fresh, local and seasonal food available to the residents of your flat or local public building….all you need is some community spirit and there are lots of examples to learn from. Check out Germany and India and you’ll be astounded by their progress.

7. Keep your trash and …. compost it! You can have these earthenware or terracotta containers in your flat, verandah, apartment complex, restaurant, hotel, office, hospital, school…..it can start at home but grow to a neighbourhood scale easily enough and placed back into the system if you green an area or a rooftop locally.

8. Use 100 per cent organic, natural and non-toxic alternative to cleaning products…this is just a simple way to help keep the water in your region freer from pollutants and helping in your small way to keep mother earth happier.

9. Car-sharing is also fun….let’s pick up some friends on the way to school, work, theatre, cinema….create your own logos, stickers, badges and posters and advertise your ideas to other people who ride beside you….save on fumes, and your local air will thank you. People might start choosing to live in your area because of what you are doing.

10. And don’t forget to catch the sun….choose a system which does not need a battery bank….one that auto-synchronises the solar power directly with the plant grid…thus eliminating the danger of land and water contamination due to the spillage of acid while operating and maintaining the battery bank…. make sure your solar plant is eco-friendly.

Product innovation was the name of the game at ECOBUILD 2015 in London this year, from the 3rd to the 5th of March.

Setting up low carbon energy infrastructure to all is in everyone’s mind but this aim is clouded by doubts on which long term plan should be used to manage risks from our planet’s changing climate.

The question “what exactly makes a country’s sustainable policy relevant?” was a concern at the outset of the exhibition, and although consensus was attained on many facets, it continued being expressed in completely distinct ways by the 2000 exhibitors originating from nearly 90 countries.

On the overall picture, there were hundreds of speakers present, with themes ranging from discussions on the Kyoto protocol on energy and climate and narrowing down to construction and certification issues applied to single buildings and materials.

Decades of solar expertise revealed a simplified approach to the subject, with potential clients more eager and at ease with proposed solutions to their homes and finding the subject of good indoor air quality a new theme to contend with.

But what kept bringing curious folk to the front was the now well-known and most sought-after “Big Innovation Showcase” which this year, as in former times, displayed selected new products launched into the market and a wonder to all.

Traditional techniques walked hand-in-hand with the most modern digital technologies, bringing together revolutionary assembly expertise to materials presented raw or mechanically finished to indoor and outdoor solutions.

Nature and biodiversity also played a major role this year, focusing on its application to urban areas, and bringing the natural world – birds, bees, butterflied, bats and beetles! – to newly planned ecosystems which will enable man to create liveable cities in decades to come.

The Five-Leaf System was there and suggests you pencil in the event for next year!

Meeting point and a starting point – this is what the BTL 2015 – the International Tourism Exhibition in Lisbon proposes to all visitors from the 25th of February to the 1st of March.

Tourism in Portugal will focus on variegated facets and representatives from north to south will strive to enhance their many qualities along the unfolding events during the coming week.

The main attraction over the past year as seen Lisbon as a preferred destination for City & Short Breaks and the old capital has grabbed the opportunity and turned decrepit and abandoned XVIII century buildings into modern, clean and attractive places to stay.

And not only in the capital….

Another attraction will be Nature Tourism and since over the years as an urban development tradition only the coastline and the three large cities in Portugal – Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto – have been largely developed, there is much to do and see in that area.

The Algarve, always considered a separate reign, will be showing what can be done to minimize impact from large developments and show visitors that there is more than beach and golf to life, if only curiosity would take them away from sea and grass.

Religious Tourism is also an untapped sector and there is more than Fatima to savour – it almost seems as if every village still holds to heart their patron saint and their need to share their faith with all who care to visit – and that is quite an extraordinary feat in itself.

Wellness has come to stay yet seemingly undiscovered by most Portuguese who can take this opportunity to find another way to recover from modern life and at a lower rate – an expensive business to set up in a country most suited to see it implemented.

FITUR is back again, the International Tourism Trade Fair focusing on Ibero-American markets and celebrating its 35th annual meeting in Madrid, from January 28 to February 1.

It’s a massive place, housing more than 9,000 exhibitors, ranging from large and well-established companies to budding enterprises, trying their luck on how to successfully transform their beloved leisure commodity into a thriving business.

The 18th Ibero-American Conference of Tourism Ministers and Businessmen will be prior to the trade show but on opening day, all will rush to have a glimpse of Royalty, the day ending with the ceremony and gala dinner for the 11th UNWTO Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism.

Regions from 165 countries will be represented and over 7,000 reporters and journalists from 60 countries will be describing them to the world, enticing future travellers to discover new routes or re-visit revamped well-trodden tourism circuits.

Sustainable consumption and production patterns in the hospitality business will be the order of the day, with discussions on how the sector can accelerate this shift, essential to the reconversion of the hotel sector as part of economic and local revitalization.

As the week unfolds, ways in which the traveller can quantify what makes a sustainable destination will be summed up to all partners involved, and networking might prove again to be the best engine to propagate and share success stories.

Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts will introduce their project on Ecological Hotels around the world – “Think Planet” – and share its management and innovation practices, guarantor of the Group’s steadily advance towards sustainability.

Through the doors will come over 120,000 trade visitors and at the end, up to 100,000 people from the general public will joined them too.

All to enjoy the delights of the many and varied activities laid on for them, and the special gifts distributed by the stands to mark their presence at the event.

A great place to visit and also to meet the Five-Leaf System team! See you there!

It’s at the LTX 2014 EVENT (The Luxury Travel Exchange) at the Venetian and Palazzo Resort Hotel, in Las Vegas from the 9th to the 11th December.

Business owners or agents need to better their skills constantly to improve expert knowledge and guarantee success.

Events such as these are ideal to learn novel sales and marketing trends from across the globe, either by attending agent-supplier exchanges or by not missing networking receptions and luncheons!

Apart from hoteliers, tour operators and travel agents, experienced professionals on customer personalization are available to present ways in which clients expectations can be met in a new, expectant and satisfying emotional level.

As travel experience becomes more complex, so the consumer is more aware of what to expect from a unique and distinct travel service – innovation through a service concept which brings together escapism, entertainment and culture.

Long-term customer relationship is what all engaged in the industry are looking forward to – especially at a time when economic dictates seem to determine and rule over most holiday choices.

As such, not having to find a client provides organizations with a saving, in terms of marketing for new business, developing other travel-supplier relationships and postponing young agent’s practical training and education to a near future.

Peer-to-peer perspectives are invaluable to help re-define business models and enhance new dimensions in travel, re-defining travel habits, influencing better choices and gaging wisely what new paths affluent travellers are expecting to like to tread.

It’s at the Business Design Centre in London this year for two full days (26-27 November) where the global design community will meet.

This is the annual meeting place for the global design community:

designers

architects

hotel owners

developers

operators and

investors

come together to share their knowledge about design and creation of breathtaking hotel environments.

The latest news on products and suppliers will be available but it is really industry trends which designers and architects look forward to grasping and understanding.

Hostels, as the latest trend in the world of hospitality, are found to be the fastest growing players in this area and they are certainly a good opportunity for designers to have fun creating light, ever-changing and novel themes.

Also restaurateurs turned hoteliers are bringing new ways to transform guests’ stay into success stories by adding unforgetable experiences at the dinner table and making sure there is a definite yes to come back for more.

The state of the market will be discussed by not only by hotel developers but also have a great input from investors and operators – these have pointers which are essential to be had by architects to create stunning and spectacular interiors.

The exhibition will have the room sets with their designers presenting their ideas for this year’s hotel design competition – the winners will have the opportunity to work for a room design for a new hotel brand.

The 2014 brief is to be called “simplexity” – the new and emerging theory of a relationship between simplicity and complexity – and candidates will explore how hotel interior designs can be more harmonious and intuitive experiences for its visitors.

The European Hotel Design Awards will honour the work of industry leading architects and designers and many of their finalists will be talking at the conference.

Really a must – and if you did not make it this time, make sure you pencil in the event for next year!

EIBTM 2014 is in Barcelona again – 18th – 20th November – this time the 27th edition.

And what does EIBTM mean? It is the Exhibition for the Incentive Business Travel and Meetings in Spain.

It is an ideal place to meet people who specialise in making events and conferences feel more engaging and be more productive.

This industry is no longer interested in keeping delegates confined to their event physical space and coming to these exhibitions help organizers build relations which will develop their business by expanding and focusing their networking onto new topics.

New meeting formats with technology and innovations at their fingertips will give planners inspiration to create more engaging participation and interaction between attendees and improve their skills and language on numerous multi-faceted sessions.